{"id":107847,"date":"2020-07-07T00:00:59","date_gmt":"2020-07-07T05:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?p=107847"},"modified":"2025-05-14T13:32:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T18:32:41","slug":"generation-influence-gen-z-study-reveals-a-new-digital-paradigm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/generation-influence-gen-z-study-reveals-a-new-digital-paradigm\/","title":{"rendered":"Generation Influence: Gen Z Study Reveals a New Digital Paradigm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 July 7, 2020 \u2014 <\/strong>The third annual, international study of Gen Z<\/a>, conducted by The Center for Generational Kinetics<\/a> and commissioned by WP Engine<\/a>, launched today reveals new expectations for the web by Generation Z in comparison to other generations including Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers. Gen Z, born between 1996-2015, is the most Internet-dependent generation and is firmly at the vanguard of technology use across all generations. These ties to digital reveal insights for brands on how to reach this important audience.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why studying Gen Z matters.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

2020 has taught us the stark importance of the digital world. Billions of people went online to work, study, and merely to stay in touch during the COVID-19 pandemic. After years of knowing they needed to adopt digital transformation strategies, the pandemic has forced organizations to not only accelerate those plans but put them into immediate action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The companies who will succeed in this new world are those who have reimagined activities that were typically done in the physical world as digital experiences. And for many consumers, these new digital experiences, from home workouts to order-ahead grocery pickups, have often proved more enjoyable and more convenient than those offline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Gen Z, this is nothing new. They\u2019ve never drawn a distinction between the physical and the digital world. For them, whether online or offline, the critical element is that you can seamlessly move between each. They\u2019re leading this shift in consumer behavior with their digital fluency and articulating nothing less than a new paradigm for digital experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGen Z are digital pioneers in that they charted the path for the rest of the world to go fully digital, and marketers ignore that path at their own peril,\u201d said Mary Ellen Dugan, Chief Marketing Officer for WP Engine. \u201cThe pandemic caused a profound change in the way we do everything, from shopping to eating to engaging with friends and family. Gen Z was already comfortable in that new paradigm, so if you meet the digital needs of Gen Z, you\u2019re ahead of the rest of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gen Z\u2019s identity is inextricably tied to digital.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Gen Z\u2019s identity and digital are inextricably linked, blending the physical and digital worlds as never before. They are far more likely than other generations to believe in the positive impact of technology on the world. 64% think artificial intelligence will have a positive impact and 66% believe the Internet will bring us closer together. In fact, when asked which value, quality, or attribute is most important to your generation, Gen Z rated tech-savviness (19%) almost as highly as freedom (22%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are some characteristics of Gen Z?<\/p>\n\n\n\n